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    Wedding favours that your guests will actually use

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    Although wedding favours are not compulsory, they are a great sentiment. It is recommended to give something that is either edible, reusable, or an item that is fun and functional to use at the wedding; this will reduce the risk of ‘wasted’ favours.

    1. Anything that is edible (or drinkable)

    Something yummy to eat or drink is a great favour as it will generally always be eaten.

    2. Tea towels

    You can have a romantic quote printed on the tea towel to personalise it slightly, but still make sure it is usable in every day life. Plus, you can never have too many tea towels, especially when it reminds you of a special day that you were a part of.

    3. Personalised blankets

    This is a great favour for a winter wedding. It can be used by guests at the wedding who can’t handle the cold and it’s always nice to have an extra blanket in the house, especially if it also warms your heart by reminding you of fond memories.

    4. Sunscreen

    The perfect favour for a summer wedding and easy to take home. Sunscreen can be cute, personalised and will definitely not go unused.

    5. Flip flops

    Recommended for a beach wedding, but also works for a summer wedding. Those in heels will thank you and the memories of your big day are sure to accompany those special to you on many adventures in future.

    6. Luggage tags

    A perfect favour for a destination wedding, your guest are sure to appreciate and cherish these gifts for years to come and they conveniently double up nicely as escort cards too.

    7. Scented candles

    Maybe it’s just us, but candles always seem to be forgotten as they are not a necessity but they are great to have in the home as they provide a nice atmosphere. The colour and scent of the candles can be matched to the wedding theme and are sure to used by your guests long after the big day.

    8. Shawls

    It is hard to find warm outerwear that goes with your formal dress –  a shawl is the answer. This may be less suited to your male guests but you can always prepare a separate option for the gentlemen attending your special day.

     

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    Wrap yourself in Love ? #pashminafavors #customtags #bridalshowerfavors #divinepartydisplay

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    In Fashion

    When two cultures become one

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    Diversity unites us. We are no longer confined to people from our own creed, culture or nationality. Perhaps once upon a time, it was frowned upon to marry across cultures, and couples would have to convert or choose one culture or the other. But in this day and age, it’s not unusual for people from different backgrounds to tie the knot.

    Anjuli Nanda and her husband Charlie Diamond are the picture-perfect example of two cultures merging. They had two weddings: a traditional Indian wedding, and a traditional British one, both which took place over one weekend.

    Two separate weddings obviously means two different dresses! On the Friday wedding, which was a traditional Indian ceremony, the beautiful bride wore a striking red lehenga, a type of full-length skirt that is embroidered and pleated, designed by Nepalese-American fashion designer, Prabal Gurung. Anjuli chose the lehenga not only because it is traditional wedding attire, but to pay tribute to her late mother.

     

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    My reign begins #AD⚡️CD

    A post shared by Anjuli Nanda Diamond (@anjulinanda) on

    The colour red is highly symbolic in Indian weddings, representing life, love, passion, prosperity and fertility. The bold colour also compliments various complexions, and the bride is always guaranteed to stand out. Anjuli’s lehenga was filled with detail and meaning. The skirt consisted of eight panels, each with patterns that represented meaningful moments in the couple’s relationship.

    Anjuli was also bedecked with jewellery for the wedding. Her wrists were stacked with red bangles, along with a few of her mother’s gold ones, and her necklaces and one set of earrings were designed by Anita Dongre. The glowing bride also donned a pair of Marlo Laz earrings designed by her friend and bridesmaid, Jesse Lazowski.

    The big day consisted of various traditional Indian wedding customs, including the Baraat – the groom’s procession to the ceremony on horseback. Arriving on a decorated horse, the groom is then welcomed by the bride’s family and garlands are exchanged. Anjuli and Charlie’s ceremony was also conducted by a Hindu priest and performed under a traditional mandap. After the ceremony, the couple and guests indulged in cocktails along with an Indian buffet.

    For the British wedding on the Saturday the next day, the bride wore a white Westwood Couture gown from Vivienne Westwood with a perfectly-fitted corset. In keeping with English tradition, Anjuli had Something old, new, borrowed and blue – her great-grandmother’s gold wedding band (“something old”), Marlo Laz tanzanite and diamond ring (“something new”), her mother-in-law’s earrings, bracelets, and trinity ring (“something borrowed”), and her mother’s sapphire and diamond pinky ring (“something blue”).

     

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    An unpublished favorite ?

    A post shared by Anjuli Nanda Diamond (@anjulinanda) on

    This time, the ceremony was conducted by the dashing groom’s friend, and Charlie’s sister and Anjuli’s maid of honour each did a reading. The happy couple wrote their own vows. After the ceremony, everyone enjoyed famously British pastimes such as badminton and croquet set up on the lawn, followed by the wedding reception.

    So what’s better than one wedding? Two, of course! For Anjuli Nanda and Charlie Diamond, this was a dream come true.

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    Bachelor parties gone wrong

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    Before the “I do’s” come the infamous bachelor parties. Fuelled by movies like The Hangover, there are certainly some crazy and shocking stories out there. Here are a few stories from anonymous brides- and grooms-to-be of stag do’s that didn’t go quite as planned.

     

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    In one groom’s story, the stag do started out fairly tame, with everything fairly in order. As the party proceeded however, along came the stripper. Organised by his group of friends, the groom-to-be was unaware of who the woman was. It was only upon her arrival that he saw the stripper was his ex-girlfriend’s mother – certainly not a pleasant surprise.

    In a separate story, the bachelor spent the night before the big day drinking copious amounts of alcohol. The menu included a fifth of rum, 30 beers, a bottle of whiskey, and more – followed by a head injury and a blackout. The husband-to-be only woke up just four hours before the wedding and managed to make it there just in time, an hour before the ceremony started.

    Another man had been dating his fiancée for a few years. She had recently made friends with a man at work. The groom-to-be had mixed feelings about the colleague but somehow this man ended up being a groomsman. At the stag do, after a lot of alcohol, the bachelor broke down in tears and left his own party. The partygoers later found out that the suspicious co-worker was having an affair with the bride-to-be.

    Hoping to be a little smarter than others, one bachelor decided to have his party a week before the wedding. He also not-so-smartly indulged in a little too much alcohol (we’re starting to see a pattern here) and fell off a deck, three floors above the ground. He attended his wedding with two broken wrists and a shaved head due to the stitches he needed above one of his ears.

    A different groom-to-be decided to party it up in Vegas. He met a girl there and the two exchanged numbers, to his fiancée’s knowledge. The bride-to-be was at home with a tablet that must was linked to the bachelor’s phone, and received all the texts between the two. The wedding was called off.

    So whether it’s confirming that you DON’T know the stripper, knowing your alcohol limits, trusting your gut or steering clear of high-rise venues, here are some of the crazy stag do situations you definitely want to steer clear of experiencing yourself.

     

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    In Decor

    Say no to live décor

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    Whether you want animals as a backdrop for your wedding photos or using them for your grand entrance, live creatures aren’t for your wedding decoration. It may seem ‘stunning’ or produce that extra ‘wow’ factor, but at the end of the day, it’s cruel and not fair on the animals.

    Recently, a bride thought it would be a great idea to use goldfish in her centerpieces. She thought it would be a lovely idea to have a pair of goldfish in a bowl on each table, which symbolised her nuptials. The bride expected guests to take the goldfish home, as a ‘sort of’ wedding favour.

    Sounds foolproof right? Wrong.

    The maid of honour tried her best to discourage the bride from this idea, but sadly, she would not budge.  As hard as it may seem, not everyone wants to go home with an unexpected new pet. As the wedding reception commenced, she was left with having to keep an eye on the fish centerpieces. A few goldfish checked out a little early, but the newly married couple had ‘spares in the back’.

    By the end of the night, as the maid of honour predicted, guests left without their special ‘wedding favours’. The maid of honour was saddled with 100 goldfish. She rushed to the pet shop to get a bigger tank but many had died by the time she got home.

    In the end, only one out of the 100 goldfish survived. The fish named Sun lived for five years, a duration longer than her friendship with the bride and even longer than the marriage.

    The use of animals as wedding props doesn’t end there. Elephants have been used in wedding ceremonies for decades. These majestic creatures are kept captive, and live in fear of being forced into submission by abuse. The elephants are used to make an entrance or exit by the couple, for the wedding photoshoot and sometimes just as decoration.

    Taking them out of their natural habitat and subjecting them to the needs and desires of your wedding day is not okay.

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    In Celebs

    About Sophie Turner’s custom Louis Vuitton gown

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    The long-awaited wedding of Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner and musician Joe Jonas finally took place in June and we couldn’t help swoon over the stunning Louis Vuitton by Nicolas Ghesquière wedding dress she wore.

    Rumour has it the intricately detailed work of art took over 10 embroiders working for 1 050 hours on 14 metres of fabric to finally complete the immaculate creation.

    Each panel of the dress was decorated with 5 400 crystal beads complimented by 50 400 white beads with a veil to match – which also took 48 hours to hand embroider.

     

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    Absolute beauty @sophiet

    A post shared by ? (@nicolasghesquiere) on

    The dress has a classic design with long sheer fitted sleeves, a thick waistband and plunging V-neckline to accentuate Sophie’s figure.

    The beautiful bride paired her dress with a cascading white bouquet and a natural make up look with loose hair.

    Ghesquière designed the custom wedding dress for Sophie, complete with flower-embroidered tulle and silk gazar.

    A cut out back was included in the one-of-a-kind design as well as a lace-trimmed veil with minute decorative ornamental needlework.

     

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    Mr and Mrs Jonas Photo by @corbingurkin

    A post shared by Sophie Turner (@sophiet) on

    The gorgeous couple were wed in a French chateau and a general theme of French flair was certainly present throughout the affair.

    It goes without saying that Sophie’s stylish assumable was the envy of brides-to-be everywhere as she happily made her way down the isle. We can’t all afford Louis Vuitton wedding gowns but we can most certainly dream, drool and pin it on our Pinterest boards.

     

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    The perfect shoe to say I do

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    Wearing heels for the entire duration of your wedding may seem  a little daunting, especially for women who are not used to being in heels for hours on end. Let’s face it, some of us live in sneakers or takkies, so why change who you are on your wedding day? Rocking a pair of sneakers is the perfect shoe to say “I do” in.

    With so many customizable options for wedding sneakers, you will be spoilt for choice. We can’t think of a better way to dance the night away.

     

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    Sneakers can be subtle or overstated. The style options and colourways are endless. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can order and customise your own sneakers online. There is literally a pair of sneakers for every fashion sense.

    While choosing a pair of shoes for your wedding may be overwhelming, there is one thing that a pair of sneakers has over any other shoe: comfortability.

    Rocking a pair of kicks down the aisle will most definitely leave your guests intrigued. Also your lower back, knees and hips will be eternally grateful.

     

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    A post shared by Patricia (@dino_s.aurier) on

    If you really wanted to add a touch of flair to your outfit, buy a matching pair of sneakers for him and her. Nobody will forget the wedding where the bride and groom wore a matching pair of sneakers, will they?

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    In Advice

    Save the planet… one eco-friendly wedding at a time

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    By Yashna Balwanth

    Contrary to popular belief, being environmentally and socially responsible on your wedding day is easier and possibly cheaper than you think. What could possibly be more important than protecting the Earth? Small considerations can make a world of difference – like using seasonal and local flowers flowers instead of importing them.

    Being eco-friendly is fashionable, will boost your eco-consciousness levels – and perhaps even turn a few guests into eco-warriors. We’ve put together a few conscious decisions to consider to make your special day more eco-friendly and your wallet a little happier.

    Disposable confetti
    Every bride wants to be showered in glittery confetti. In reality, you are throwing microplastics everywhere. An eco-friendlier alternative to this is to use biodegradable confetti which are made from flower petals. Or punch out confetti circles from leaves, colour them metallic and voilà. These are materials that still look as beautiful in pictures and will do exactly the same job.

     

    Re-use wedding attire
    Being eco-friendly also means finding more than one use for certain items, this includes wedding attire. By allowing your bridal party to choose their own style of dress within your colour palette, they will wear the dress again since it is something they have chosen for themselves. The bride’s dress can also be a vintage or pre-loved garment, perhaps handed down through generations. Don’t grow too attached to your wedding gown, you can have it altered once the wedding is over into two separate pieces of a top and skirt, then mix and match it within your closet for multiple uses.

     

    Potted vs cut flowers
    Cut flowers do not have a long lifespan. Why not opt for a potted centerpiece instead? These can also double up as wedding favours for guests to take home, which help save on costs. However, if you really do want cut flowers for decor, work with a company that can have the flowers reused after the function or even donated to a hospital or community centre.

     

    Digital stationery
    Let’s be real for a second… how many of us actually save wedding invites of friends and family? This is wasted paper and a waste of money printing invitations that still need to be hand delivered to guests. Besides the digital realm keeping us in touch with one another, it has also helped with invitations and notices to guests. Wedding websites can be set up for minimal costs and can also keep track of the guests who have rsvp’d and those who have not.

     

    Food donations
    It comes as no surprise that weddings attract a lot of wastage when it comes to food. Whether guests didn’t show up, or caterers over prepared, there is always waste of perfectly good food that shouldn’t be thrown away. Perhaps leftovers can be donated to a shelter for the homeless or even handed out to a nearby children’s school. Ensure your caterers are aware of your plans to donate so the food is not thrown out unintentionally.

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    A touch of paint adds a lifetime of memories

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    Live painting at wedding receptions is a growing trend for both the couple and guests. It is a fun and creative way to keep guests entertained, as well as create a truly lasting memory for the couple to treasure.

     

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    “You have peace,” the old woman said, “when you make it with yourself. ~Mitch Albom

    A post shared by Mary Paints Weddings (@marypaintsweddings) on

    Mary Paints Weddings (@marypaintsweddings) specialises in live wedding painting in South Africa which leaves the bridal couple with a tangible forever memory – a painting. Mary also creates painted jackets for the couple which can be kept and reused long after the wedding and honeymoon has ended.

    Another fun way to incorporate art into your wedding reception is to hire a caricature artist, inviting guests to take something home as well. Martinus Van Tee (@martinus_caricatures)  is a caricature artist based in the Western Cape who offers these services for both wedding and corporate events.

    A picture is worth a thousand words but what about a painting? This fun addition to your big day will have your reliving one of the happiest moments of your life, hanging right there in your home.

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    In Advice

    Dinner Service: Buffet vs. Plated

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    Should you serve a plated dinner or buffet dinner at your wedding? A few things to consider when making this decision: What sort of atmosphere are you trying to create? What is your budget? And how many guests will be attending?

    Generally, a buffet dinner is much more casual than a plated dinner as the evening is less structured than a plated dinner. A plated dinner can be structured in the sense than you can plan speeches and toasts and even dancing in between courses. If you want your wedding to be a formal affair, then serving a plated dinner is the best option. Plated dinners ensure that there is no chaos that could come with buffet dinners when everyone goes to get their food.

    With a plated dinner, everyone eats at the same time and will be finishing up at the same time and you can move on to the next part of the evening.

    In order to control the chaos that comes with buffets, you have to think of ways to control the traffic by setting up lines to get food or setting up two buffet tables with the same food to limit long lines or sometimes even scheduling times for each table to go and get their food. This results in each table eating at different times and can hinder your desired proceedings for after dinner.

    Buffet caters for larger groups and a variety of tastes, meaning there is usually something for everyone, which is appreciated by your guests. But being served is also appreciated; and if you offer special meals for people with dietary requirements, everyone will be happy.

    Budget-wise, it is tricky to determine which style of dinner service is more cost-effective as there are many factors that will influence the cost of the type of dinner service that is chosen.

    Buffet style is generally considered more cost-effective as you do not have to hire as many waitstaff as you would have to if you do plated. However, you cannot determine exactly how much food will be needed and can therefore end up over-catering or have the possibility of running out of food.

    Plated dinners are easier to plan as the caterer will know exactly how many portions of each dish are needed and there is no possibility of waste or running out of food. You can also save in this way as you control each persons’s portion size.

    At the end of the day, it is your wedding and you will need to decide on the type of atmosphere you are trying to create. If you want a formal wedding, a plated dinner service is the better option as it is much more structured and guests are not expected to stand around and attempt to balance their plates while trying to get their food all the while being in their formal clothing.

    If you want a more casual wedding then buffet is the better option because  guests have the freedom to structure their own evening by eating when they want and how much they want, just ensure there is enough food.

     

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    Should you tip your wedding vendor?

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    By Mariska van Zyl

    There’s no denying that planning your wedding can be exciting, overwhelming and very expensive. So establishing a budget and planing ahead is crucial. There are a few hidden costs when it comes to your wedding day, tipping vendors being one of them.

     

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    @adellet all the way from australia!!

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    Photographers & Videographers:
    It’s not necessary to tip the photographer and videographer if they own their own business as all the costs will usually be included in the contract. If you feel that they went the extra mile you can add an additional amount to the agreed price or you can send a thank you gift after the wedding.

    Catering staff and Bartenders:
    If your contract doesn’t include tip, you should tip 10 to 20 percent of the total catering bill. If you have an open bar, bartenders do expect to receive a tip from guests as they serve the drinks but it isn’t necessary as they’ll already receive a fixed amount from the venue.

    Hair & Makeup artist:
    When you hire a hair and makeup artist that owns their own business, you aren’t obligated to tip them. However, if you go to a salon you are expected to tip as you would going for a normal appointment.

     

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    This forest ceremony area is just mind blowing at @beloftebos_wedding_venue What do you guys think?

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    Officiant:
    While it isn’t customary to tip religious officiants, however if you want to thank them for their service, you can send them a thoughtful gift or better, make a donation to their place of worship.

    Musicians and DJs:
    If you are hiring an independent band or DJ, you aren’t obligated to tip, however when the band or DJ is being booked through an agency, tipping each member is standard.

    Tips are meant to to be given to vendors who go above and beyond their contracted duties, so remember to have a look at the vendors’ contracts to see if any gratuity is added in the costs. If your budget is tight, there are other ways of giving “tips”. You can give your vendors excellent reviews or refer them to other friends that are getting married.

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